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Regional Reviews: Washington, D.C. What the Constitution Means to Me
Kimberly Gilbert adds the role of Heidi to a D.C.-area career that has covered more than 20 years. Since she is onstage constantly throughout the 90-minute play, which includes both a period of unscripted interaction with another performer and an ongoing rapport with the audience, she needs–and fully delivers–stamina, a sharp memory, and a deep dive into the lives of the character and her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. The framework of the play is Heidi recounting how, beginning at age 15, she gave speeches about the U.S. Constitution in competitions hosted by the American Legion. She won enough in prize money to pay her college tuition. Shoko Kambara has created a re-creation of a Legion hall in Washington State, although, as Heidi notes, her memory has blurred some of the specifics. (The room displays flags and photos of Legion officials but does not include a door.) Gilbert wears an approximation of what a teenage girl might have worn: over her open-necked white blouse, a purple plaid blazer with contrasting gold cuffs. With the occasional assistance of a Legion official (Michael Glenn, squeezing everything he can out of a minimal role), she talks about feeling a personal connection with the Constitution while pointing out that the document, ratified in 1787, omitted any specific mention of women until the 19th Amendment (women's suffrage) was ratified in 1920. As Heidi describes the four parts of the 14th Amendment–the first of which is birthright citizenship, granted to the formerly enslaved workers who had had no recognition as citizens–the matter suddenly comes up to date. She notes that the U.S. Constitution is a document of negative rights protecting the people from governmental overreach, instead of positive rights that obligate the government to provide specific kinds of support to its citizens. More than that, the final segment of the play moves away from Heidi's story and into the present moment. Gilbert, "as myself," invites a high school student to join her onstage for an unscripted debate regarding whether the current Constitution can be made more accountable to the American public or if it should be abolished and a new one created from scratch. Fadekemi Laniyonu, who performed alongside Gilbert on press night, demonstrated both poise and enthusiasm as she answered questions submitted by the audience and examined the ramifications of the issue. What the Constitution Means to Me runs through February 16, 2025, at Round House Theatre, 4545 East-West Highway, Bethesda MD. For tickets and information, please call 240-644-1100 or visit www.roundhousetheatre.org. By Heidi Schreck |
